Iowa football vs. Ohio State: Who wins? Final score predictions

It’ll be quite the atmosphere in Iowa City on Saturday.

Iowa hosts Ohio State for a huge top-15 showdown in Kinnick Stadium. ESPN's "College GameDay" is in town for the festivities. And the Hawkeyes are riding a wave of momentum from their stunning 20-19 win over Michigan last weekend.

The Buckeyes come to town with a 3-1 record, fresh off a dominant win over Illinois. Led by quarterback Julian Sayin and superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State is a national championship contender for a reason. This will be a tough game for the home team.

But it’s one that Kirk Ferentz teams have won in the past. Can Iowa pull off another upset and keep a magical season going?

Or, will Ohio State quiet the crowd and pick up a ranked win? Here are the Hawkeyes Wire staff’s official predictions for Iowa vs. Ohio State:

Iowa vs. Ohio State: Hawkeyes Wire staff predictions

Josh Helmer: The recipe for Iowa to win this game is on the ground. Long, time-consuming drives that keeps Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith off the field.

Even with a pair of stars in Kade Pieper and Trevor Lauck up front, Iowa hasn't shown that it can do that against the Power Four foes on its schedule. Iowa rushed for just 93 yards against Iowa State and for only 58 rushing yards last week at Michigan.

That's concerning heading into Saturday. Ultimately, Ohio State has too much firepower for the Hawkeyes.

Prediction: Ohio State 34, Iowa 17

Scout Springgate: Although Ohio State comes into this Saturday’s matchup on a roll offensively after claiming the Illibuck Trophy with a 42-19 thrashing of Illinois, Kinnick Stadium has not been an easy place for the Buckeyes. In fact, the last time the Buckeyes visited Iowa City, the Hawkeyes played a near-perfect game en route to a 55-24 runaway victory.

Even as the Hawkeyes hold a better record than the Buckeyes through four games this season, Iowa will need another flawlessly-executed game plan this weekend if they want to upset Ohio State.

Outside a second-half collapse of the ages against Texas, Ohio State’s offense has looked elite and is led by 2025 Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Julian Sayin, alongside wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who will very likely be selected within the top three of the 2027 NFL Draft. After Michigan wide receivers burned Phil Parker's zone defense last week in Ann Arbor, they'll need a much better effort against Smith and Company, who can put up astonishing stat lines with ease.

While it is much easier said than done, Iowa will need to drag Ohio State into the mud and play smashmouth football. If Iowa can disrupt Ohio State's rhythm and capitalize on its own chances, the Hawkeyes have a real shot at another upset. Give me the Hawkeyes in a nail-biter.

Prediction: Iowa 27, Ohio State 24

Zach Hiney: The last time the Buckeyes ventured to Iowa City, they were taken out back to the woodshed. Iowa played a near-perfect game that day, winning, 55-24. The Hawkeyes will need a similar performance this weekend if they want to win this game.

Ohio State has looked the part of a national contender this season, outside of the second half against Texas. The offense is led by quarterback Julian Sayin, who was a Heisman Trophy finalist last season. Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is the best player in college football and a matchup nightmare. Phil Parker's defense was torched by Michigan wide receivers last week. They'll need a better effort against Smith. Across the board, Ryan Day has a roster of blue-chip talent capable of beating any team in the country.

The Hawkeyes will have to put last week's comeback win behind them quickly. A fast start is paramount in this game. Nine years ago, Amani Hooker had a pick-six on the first play of the Ohio State game. Iowa will need a splash play like that early to put the crowd into a frenzy. They'll also need to run the football against a Buckeye defense that's given up yards on the ground this season.

Ultimately, Iowa is playing with house money here. They can afford to drop a game. Ohio State can't. That added pressure, alongside the home-field advantage, will allow the Hawkeyes to hang around against a more talented roster. But at the end of the day, Ohio State has Smith, and Iowa doesn't. Kirk Ferentz's team fights hard and earns a lot of respect in the process. But the Buckeyes' skill position guys come up big late in the game.

Prediction: Ohio State 27, Iowa 20

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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football vs. Ohio State: Who wins? Final score predictions